


Shopping Day

by TheAsexualofSpades



Series: Quarantine Drabbles [68]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Gen, Merlin told Morgana about THINGS and she decided to take the hemlock of her own free will, Protective Gwen (Merlin), Protective Morgana (Merlin), Shopping, Short & Sweet, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:01:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24472465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAsexualofSpades/pseuds/TheAsexualofSpades
Summary: Taking hemlock to stop Morgause was no small feat. Morgana knows there's a lot to do, so many things to talk about, to confront, to deal with, but for now, she needs to immerse herself in something normal, just to breathe for a moment.The protection and security that Gwen offers is perfect.
Relationships: Elyan & Gwen (Merlin), Gwen & Morgana (Merlin), Gwen/Morgana (Merlin)
Series: Quarantine Drabbles [68]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1677655
Comments: 5
Kudos: 175





	Shopping Day

**Author's Note:**

> i love them so much 
> 
> sorry this is a little shorter!!! there's just some stuff going on where I am and i don't have as much brain to make the words go as usual

Fandom: Merlin (BBC)

Prompt: “Take it easy, don’t you think you’ve put yourself through enough?”

* * *

Morgana hisses through her teeth, heaving herself into an upright position. She presses her hand to her abdomen, willing the persistent pangs in her core to go away. A wave of nausea rolls up to her throat, forcing her to choke it back down before she can try to stand again. She knew beating hemlock wasn’t going to be easy, but _gods._

“My lady!”

“Gwen—“ Morgana heaves a sigh of relief when Gwen comes in through the door, rushing over to her bedside— “Gwen…”

“Take it easy,” Gwen admonishes, easing her back onto the bed, “don’t you think you’ve put yourself through enough?”

“I’m _fine,_ ” Morgana insists stubbornly, wrapping one hand around the bedpost, “really, I am.”

“Of course you are,” Gwen says diplomatically, “but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t be _better.”_

Morgana huffs, leaning back against the pillows while Gwen fusses. She can’t deny there is something comforting about watching Gwen bustle about her chambers; straightening the curtains, leaving a toddy on her bedside table, carrying over her box of hair things so that she can braid Morgana’s hair without trying to pull her to the mirror.

“Now then,” Gwen says, placing the box delicately on the bed and turning it so Morgana can see inside, “what would you like today?”

“Will I be going somewhere exciting?”

“No.” Gwen starts working through Morgana’s thick hair with a comb. “But you will be going for walks with me. It is shopping day, after all.”

Morgana perks up a little at that. She does enjoy shopping day. One, because it is one of the few ways she can directly support the people in her kingdom, paying for the wares they’ve worked so hard on, but two, because it is one of the few times she can pretend she and Gwen are equals. Gwen, sweet, kind, strong, _lovely_ Gwen, standing next to her at the stalls, perusing the fabrics and armors and jewelry…it’s one of the few times Morgana feels like she can breathe.

Especially with all that’s happened recently, any semblance of normality would be a welcome change.

“Let’s go with this one,” Morgana says, carefully lifting out an emerald brooch with a long silver spiral, “it should be fairly simple, right?”

“Of course.” Gwen finishes combing out the persistent tangle and motions for Morgana to sit up. “Come on, now, let’s get you all braided up.”

The feeling of Gwen’s fingers working through her hair lulls Morgana into a strange sense of calm. She can see her chambers, her window, the door, but everything feels as though it’s behind a thin pane of glass. The covers under her fingers and her arms fade from the intricately embroidered textiles to soft, simple, warm things. Sound becomes muffled, floating along on clouds of mist. Her eyes fall closed as she basks in the sunlight.

“Not that I’d be complaining if you went back to sleep,” comes Gwen’s vaguely amused voice, “but I do believe sleeping on this would be rather uncomfortable.”

Morgana opens her eyes. “I won’t go back to sleep. It’s shopping day.”

“In that case,” Gwen says, getting off the bed and holding her hands out, “let’s get you dressed.”

Morgana chooses a simple dress, the same color as the pin in her hair, forgoing most of the other accessories in favor of simple boots and a shawl over the top. It’s the best practice, you know. A blank slate for all of the other _wonderful_ things they’re going to look at. Gwen opens the door for her, letting Morgana link her arm through hers and pull her down the steps.

“You will take it easy today, my lady,” Gwen insists, slowing them down a tad once they’ve descended the steps to the courtyard, “I won’t have you trying to bluster through anything. If you feel unwell—“

“Yes, Gwen,” Morgana sighs, smiling fondly, “I will tell you. Now come on, Elyan’s promised to make us some new gauntlets.”

“Wait, he did?”

Morgana smiles at the added spring to Gwen’s step. “Of course he did. Didn’t he tell you that I’m to start training again?”

“Oh, Morgana, that’s wonderful!” Gwen smiles so big a small part of Morgana is afraid it’s going to fall off. “But not today.”

“No, Gwen, not today. Honestly, you needn’t fuss over me so much.”

“On the contrary, my _lady,_ ” Gwen says, “that is precisely my job.”

“Is this where Merlin gets it from,” Morgana teases, “what with the way he fusses over Arthur?”

Gwen sniffs, turning her nose up like she does when they’re mocking some pretentious noble. “I think if Merlin had learned from me, he’d be a great deal more subtle about it.”

Their laughter follows them down the path as the shopkeepers poke their heads out, smiling when they see the two women.

“Agnes,” Morgana says with a grin, approaching an older woman tending the tailor’s booth, “how are you?”

“Oh, a little of this, a little of that,” Agnes says with a wave of her hand, “now I know that look in your eyes, Lady Morgana. You go find whatever it is you’re so excited about and then come back to me.”

“You know me too well.” Morgana tosses another grin over her shoulder and pulls Gwen along, offering more greetings to the other people they recognize. All too soon, they arrive at Elyan’s blacksmith shop. “Shall we?”

“After you, my lady.”

Ducking into Elyan’s shop, the smell of the forge wafts into Morgana’s nose, accompanied by the tang of metal. She raps her knuckles politely on the counter and waits. In a few seconds, Elyan appears, pulling off a thick pair of gloves and smiling.

“Good morning, my lady,” he says, nodding to both of them, “Gwen. How may I be of service to you today?”

“I’ve heard something about gauntlets,” Gwen says, crossing her arms at her brother, “though not from you.”

“Well, I was asked by the Lady Morgana,” Elyan says, bowing with a _tad_ more formality than is strictly necessary, “and of course you have impressed upon me the value of keeping a lady’s confidences.”

“You have also promised to keep me updated about the forge’s activities when it’s not my shift here.”

“I told him it was a surprise,” Morgana interrupts, not that she’s not enjoying the sibling banter.

“Oh, well, that’s better. Oh, stop,” Gwen scolds when Elyan mock stumbles back in relief, “you’re being ridiculous.”

“And you expect nothing less.” Elyan winks. “I’ve gotten your measurements,” he continues, switching to his professional tone, “and I’ve got a mock-up for you two to try.”

Morgana and Gwen follow him to another corner of the shop. As always, Elyan’s work is superb; the mock-ups fit perfectly, and he assures them they’ll be completed before too long. Morgana thanks him for his good work and asks about the other part of the surprise.

“You didn’t mention another part!”

“No, I didn’t. How are they coming/“

Elyan reaches behind the workbench and retrieves a new pair of daggers. They gleam in the light and the grips shine. Gwen’s breath catches in her throat and she reaches for them.

“They’re _marvelous,_ ” Morgana says, looking away from Gwen’s awestruck expression to catch Elyan’s gaze. “Well done.”

“You’ll have to give some of the credit to my father,” Elyan says, scratching the back of his head, “he’s the one who taught me. He taught both of us.”

“Well, then they’ll do a wonderful job for Gwen.”

“What?” Gwen’s head snaps up. “Morgana, I can’t—“

“Of course you can,” Morgana says easily, “you’re as much a part of my protection as anyone else. Plus, you do a lot of that work _better_ than anyone else.”

“But—“

“Thank you, Elyan!” Morgana sings as she bustles Gwen out the door, daggers in tow, only to stop when Gwen tugs on her sleeve. “What is it?”

“Not that I’m not grateful,” Gwen starts, “but…you don’t have to do this for me. I’m _happy_ to serve you, you don’t have to—“

“Do you honestly think I would do something if I didn’t want to?”

Gwen gives her a look that she recognizes instantly. It’s the same look they exchange when they have to attend a few too many dinners with…people they would rather _not_ attend a dinner with.

“Well, alright, do you honestly think I would do something like _this_ if I didn’t want to?”

“…no…”

“Gwen,” Morgana calls, lifting Gwen’s chin so she looks at her properly, “I wasn’t exaggerating. My protection isn’t just armed guards following me everywhere, nor is it just swinging a sword or—“ she glances around and leans in close, lowering her voice— “casting a spell.”

Gwen frowns. “But what do I do?”

“You protect _me,_ ” Morgana says, “the real me. You let me talk, let me be _me,_ without fear. Do you know how much that _means_ to me?”

Gwen’s eyes shine bright, Morgana’s hands supporting hers as she cradles the daggers. Morgana smiles and rests her forehead against Gwen’s for a moment.

“You’ve saved me, Guinevere,” she murmurs, “more times than you can count. You are important. You are worthy of _everything_ I give you.”

She pulls away, linking her arm through Gwen’s again. “Now come on, I’ve got loads more things to buy.”

“For you?”

“For both of us. Come on, we can match!”

“M-match?”

“Of course. You will wear a wonderful necklace and I will wear a matching one. Or I will braid something into your lovely hair and you will do the same for me. Or we will simply have matching bracelets.”

“Where will we wear these matching things?”

Morgana shrugs. “Everywhere you like. On our rides to have picnics, when I go to train with Merlin and Elyan, when we all have our talks with Arthur and Merlin…or when we’re sitting around in my chambers gossiping.”

She squeezes Gwen’s arm. “Won’t it be fun?”

Gwen’s smile is worth more than all the gold in Camelot’s keep.

“I can’t wait.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Come yell at me on tumblr while we're all in quarantine. 
> 
> https://a-small-batch-of-dragons.tumblr.com/


End file.
